Piano-desk support



June 24 1924.

A. F. DxNsMORE PIANO DESK SUPPORT Filed July 19, 1922 Pateniedjune 24, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

i ALTON DINSMORE, OF NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO-R T0 AMERICAN PIANO CMPANY, QF NEW YORK, Y.. A. CORBOBATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

FIANO-DESK SUPPORT.

Application filed July 13, 1922. Serial No. 576,033.

To r/.ZZ w hom t may concern: v

Be it known that I, ALToN F. DiNsMoRE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Needham, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have inventedl an Improvement in Piano-Desk Supports. of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to music racks for grand pianos and more particularly to an improved device for maintaining the music desk in elevated position for use.

The music rack of a grand piano ordinarily comprises a music desk hinged at one edge and provided with means which in use supports the desk in operative position. It is desirable although not essential that the supporting means lshould operate automatically. that is to say, it should be caused to assume its operative or inoperative position bythe mere opening or closing of the music desk. It is important that the rack should be so constructed that no part of it will vibrate loosely against another part or chatter when the piano is played whether the music desk is'in open or closed position.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for maintaining the music desk in elevated operative position which will satisfy the requirements ofl use and which can be manufactured economically and expeditiously. This and other objects of the inventicnwill more fully appear from a description of a particular illustrative embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a music rack showing the music desk in elevated operative position for use.

Figure 2 is a similar sectional view showing the desk in folded position.V

Figure 3 is a plan view of so much of the desk as is necessary to show the brace arrangement and showing the parts in the position indicated in Figure 2.

The structure shown for purposes of illustrating the invention is a music rack having parallel front and rear rails 5, 6 connected to end members 7, of which only one is shown in the drawing, and a music desk 8 hinged to the rear edge of the front rail 5. The front rail is formed to provide a rest 10 which cooperates with the music desk 8 when in open position to support the music. The desk is sustained in its elevated operative position bya strut 15 which by` Vvirtue of a sliding connection moves to col- -slot 18 through which the head 2O of the strut 15 extends, a recess 19 being provided 1n the back of the desk 8 to afford clearance for the head. The hinge connection as shown comprises a leaf 21 whichis secured to the under side of the rear, rail 6 and extends forwardly against its front edge. During the opening and closing of the music desk there is a relative angular or pivotal movement between the strut 15 and the plate 17, the clearance between the head 2O and the shoulder' 22 on the kstrut being sufficient for this purpose. If desired, the head 2O and shoulder 22 may7 be so designed and proportionedthat as the head reaches the upper end ofthe slot upon the opening of the desk as in the position shown in Figure 1', the parts will bind Inore or less and thereby prevent any rattle' due to vibration as the piano is played.

It is necessary that when the music' desk is in closed position the strut 15' should be prevented from Vvibrating loosely againstV the slotted plate 17. In the arrangements illustrated the hinge 16 of the strut is sufficiently below the level of the top of the plate 17 when the music desk is in folded position so that the under face of the strut will bear firmly against the top of the plate 17 at its rear end as indicated at 25 and also against a pad 26 provided on the music desk for this purpose thus bringing the head 20 firmly against the lower surface of the slotted plate. By this arrangement the strut member bears against the slotted plate at two brace for supporting the desk in open positionycomprising a strut Ymember hinged at one end to the support and slidalolr7 connected at its other end to the TQ3-f 1side of the desk.

sion to maintain'the desk in velevated position and pivoted at one end to one and slidably connected at its other end to the f ither.H

' 3. `ln a music rack for pianos, the combination with a support anda music desk hinged lthereto of'collapsible compression means for holding the desk in elevated operative position which comprises a strut pivotall;T connected at one end to the vsupport and at the other end slidabljT connected to the back of the music desk.

c' 4*. 1n a music rack for pianos, the combination with a support and a music desk hinged thereto of collapsible means for holding the desk in elevated operative position which comprises a strut between the desk and the support acting in compression to maintain the desk in elevated position and pi-voted at one end to one and slidably connected at its other end to the other the relation of parts beingsuch that when the desk vis in folded position the strut is held in strained position whereby Vrattling thereof is prevented when adjacent parts vibrate.

5. In a music rack for pianos, the combination Witha support and a music d esk hinged thereto of collapsible means for holding the desk in elevated operative position which comprises a guide secured tothe music desk, a compression strut hinged to the support at one end and at its opposite end slidabl,7 connected Vto said guide, and means Whereby'the connection between the strut and guide may hold the strut ao'ainst vibration when the music desk is in folded position. Y i

6. in a music rack for pianos, the combination With a support and a music desk hinged thereto of collapsible means for holding the desk in elevated operative position which comprises a guide secured ,to the music desk, a. brace slidab'ly connected at one end to the `guide to permit a limited pivotal movement relative to Ythe guide and hingedly'connected at the other end to the support, and means whereby the music desk in open position causes the strutv` to assume one extreme of its pivotal movement relative to the guide and the desk in closed position causes the strut to assume the other extreme of its pivotal movement relating tothe guide. Y Y y 7. In a music rack, the combination with a support and a music desk hinged thereto of a collapsible-brace for supporting the desk in open position eomprising'a slotted plate rigidh1 secured to the rear face of the music desk, a strut member hinged at one end to the support having slidable ensagement with the slotted plate the length and arrangement of the plate and strut member beingsuch that when the music desk is in raised operative position the strut member will abut against the end of the slot to support the music desk and When the desk is in lowered position it will lbear against the slotted plate at tivo points but With pressure in opposite directions to prevent vibration thereof. Y

ln testimony whereof, I have 'signed my n ame to this specification this 17th day of Till-37.1922. g i

Apron r. niNsMoeiJ.. 

